De Blasio: New York City Students Unlikely to Return This Year

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday said the city's schools are unlikely to open for the remainder of the school year.

Appearing on "PIX11 Morning News," de Blasio said, "Right now, even though April 20 is our goal to reopen, I can’t see it."

New York is the nation's largest school system with more that 1.1 million students. The mayor initially resisted calls from parents and teachers to close schools to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, arguing that many students get their only meals of the day from their school and did not have the tools needed for online instruction.

Those classes began Monday with the aim of getting computers and internet to those who need it, and grab-and-go meals have been set up for feeding those who need meals.

De Blasio said a judgment on reopening will be made "as we get closer, but at the trajectory we’re on now, I can’t see it."

"I do unfortunately believe the likelihood we’re at right now is that we lose the whole school year, which is really, really, deeply unfortunate," he added.

• Surgeon General: 'Going to Get Bad' in US This Week
• Nobel Laureate on Coronavirus: 'We're Going to Be Fine